Project Risk Management Quality Control & Assurance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a project, the team discovers that defects are consistently appearing in a specific module. Which quality control tool is BEST suited to identify the root cause?
- Pareto chart
- Control chart
- Fishbone diagram (Correct answer)
- Scatter diagram
Correct answer: Fishbone diagram
A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram is specifically designed to identify root causes by mapping categories of potential causes to an observed effect.
Question 2: A quality assurance audit reveals that the team is not following the documented testing procedures. What is the PRIMARY purpose of this audit finding?
- To penalize the team for non-compliance
- To improve processes and prevent future defects (Correct answer)
- To escalate the issue to senior management immediately
- To update the project charter
Correct answer: To improve processes and prevent future defects
QA audits are proactive activities aimed at improving processes and ensuring future work prevents defects, not punishing teams.
Question 3: What does a control chart's 'upper control limit' (UCL) represent?
- The maximum acceptable defect threshold set by the customer
- The highest specification limit defined in the contract
- A statistically calculated boundary beyond which a process is out of control (Correct answer)
- The project manager's approved quality benchmark
Correct answer: A statistically calculated boundary beyond which a process is out of control
The UCL is calculated statistically (typically ±3 sigma from the mean) and signals when a process variation is non-random and requires investigation.
Question 4: Which of the following scenarios represents a Type II error in quality control testing?
- Rejecting a batch of products that actually meets quality standards
- Accepting a batch of products that actually fails quality standards (Correct answer)
- Testing more samples than the plan requires
- Using the wrong inspection checklist for a deliverable
Correct answer: Accepting a batch of products that actually fails quality standards
A Type II error (false negative) occurs when a defective product is incorrectly accepted as conforming, which is a risk to the customer.
Question 5: A project manager wants to reduce the cost of quality by shifting investment toward prevention rather than appraisal. Which action best supports this goal?
- Increasing the frequency of final product inspections
- Implementing peer code reviews early in the development cycle (Correct answer)
- Hiring more quality inspectors for the testing phase
- Expanding the acceptance testing checklist
Correct answer: Implementing peer code reviews early in the development cycle
Prevention activities like peer reviews catch defects early when they are cheapest to fix, reducing reliance on costly downstream appraisal and failure costs.
Question 6: On a control chart, seven consecutive data points all fall on the same side of the mean. What does this pattern indicate?
- Normal random variation within control limits
- A non-random pattern suggesting the process may be out of control (Correct answer)
- The process is operating at Six Sigma level
- The sample size is too small to draw conclusions
Correct answer: A non-random pattern suggesting the process may be out of control
The 'Rule of Seven' states that seven consecutive points on one side of the mean signal a non-random (assignable) cause requiring investigation, even if within control limits.
Question 7: Which document defines the acceptable quality levels, inspection methods, and metrics used to verify project deliverables?
- Quality management plan (Correct answer)
- Risk register
- Project charter
- Stakeholder engagement plan
Correct answer: Quality management plan
The quality management plan defines quality standards, metrics, roles, tools, and the approach to quality assurance and control throughout the project.
Project Risk Management Quality Control & Assurance 2
During a project, the team discovers that defects are consistently appearing in a specific module.
Which quality control tool is BEST suited to identify the root cause?